4.  OBSERVE PUNCTUALITY.

A little girl, whose mother was dead, was often absent from school.  She was never at a loss for excuses, but from their frequency I was at last induced to suspect their truth.  None of the children knew where she resided; so I was obliged to send the eldest boy in the school home with her, to ascertain whether or not her stories were true.  I gave the boy positive directions to make haste back; but, much to my surprise, I saw no more of him for six hours.  When he returned, he told me that the little girl refused to shew him where she lived; and had taken him so far, that he at last determined to leave her, but could not find his way back sooner.  In the evening I went myself, according to the direction I had entered in the admission-book, but found that the family were removed, and the persons in the house could not tell me where they had gone to reside.  I saw nothing of the child for the five following days, when a woman who had the care of her and her little brother in arms, came to inquire the reason why the girl came home at such irregular hours, stating, that sometimes she came home at half-past eleven, at other times not till two, and sometimes at three in the afternoon:  in short, often an hour after school was over.  I told her that the child was frequently absent, and that it was five days since I had seen her.  The woman appeared quite surprised, and told me, that she had always sent the child to school at the regular time; that when she came home before the usual hour, she said her governess had sent all the children home a little sooner; and if she came home after the time, then she said that there had been some ladies visiting the school, and that the children had been kept for their inspection.

Here I must acknowledge, that I have frequently detained children a little while after school-hours, when we have had visitors, but since it furnishes the children with an excuse for going home late, I think it would be better to discontinue the practice; and would hint to those ladies and gentlemen who feel inclined to visit such schools, that they should come between the hours of nine and twelve in the forenoon, or two and four in the afternoon.  I have only to observe, that the child I have been speaking of came to the school very regularly afterwards.

There is another subject too important to be passed without notice; I mean the punctual attendance of the pupils.  If the teachers are firm, and determined, to secure this, it can be done.  In Ireland, where the value of time and punctuality is least understood, the thing was accomplished,—­whilst no better lesson can be given to those who have to work for their daily bread, than punctuality.  If a child cannot attend school at nine, how can it attend work at six in the morning?  Be firm, and the object is gained.

5.  BE STRICTLY ACCURATE IN YOUR EXPRESSIONS.